Tributes paid to tragic Newport couple killed in plane crash

Margaret Ann Rous and David Rous''Victims of the plane crash in Glen Kinglass

Published:16:00Thursday 09 April 2015

The Newport couple who tragically died when their light aircraft crashed on Saturday, were establishing themselves at the heart of the community.

David Rous, a structural engineer, and his wife Margaret-Ann Maclean, a GP in Dundee, bought their home in Woodbine Terrace around two years ago and had spent a great deal of time renovating it.

Since then the couple held parties to get to know their neighbours and just recently Mr Rous opened an office in the High Street for his engineering business.

Neighbour Bill Legg said the couple, who lived next door, were sociable and friendly and only last week Mr Rous visited them to hand over a donation to his wife, Kate, for Newport in Bloom.

He said: “We are all very shocked that such a terrible thing has happened. Although we have high walls here and don’t see neighbours all the time, they were always very pleasant and everyone in the area was invited to their parties.

“With the recent opening of his Phase Engineering office in the former Newport post office, they were getting settled here and there long term aim was to be involved in the community.”

Mr Legg said David Rous was an experienced pilot who regularly flew his own plane down to London on business.

“He went back and forth to his office in Crawley each week. As a couple they also liked to jet-set and they had only got back from Oman a couple of weeks ago.”

Kate Legg, the secretary of Newport Community Council, added: “They were a lovely couple who had so much to look forward to.”

Former Newport postmaster David Chinery also paid tribute. He said: “They were a lovely, lovely couple and very hardworking. It was a pleasure to know them.We are all still very shocked.”

Dr Maclean’s sister Johann paid tribute to her sister on social media.

She posted on Facebook: “Today has been the hardest day of my life, I love you Minnie xxxx”

She also thanked friends and family for their sympathy messages.

“Thank you all for the heartfelt messages, phone calls and visits,” she wrote. “We appreciate your thoughts at this heartbreaking time xx.”

Trish Sime, a patient of Dr Maclean, who worked at Stobswell Medical Centre, posted on the Fife Herald facebook page: ‘Fantastic GP to me and my family. So very sad. Thoughts are with family, and her colleagues. Rip X’.

Another patient, Kerry Fyffe, said: ‘My GP .... Such a lovely woman! So very sad’ while Lesley Morgan posted: ‘My parents’ GP, so supportive to the family when my father was very ill last year, So very sad. x’

Tributes were also paid on the isle of Tiree where Margaret-Ann grew up.

John Holliday, the island’s doctor for almost 30 years and convener of Tiree Community Council, said: “I had known Margaret-Ann since the 1980s. She captivated everyone that knew her; she was absolutely gorgeous in every way.

“She became a much-loved GP in Dundee and I have no doubt that she was a wonderful doctor with her charm and great empathy. She immediately touched the hearts of everyone who came into contact with her.”

Dr Holliday added that he had also met Mr Rous when he had visited Tiree.

He added: “He was a really nice man and a very talented structural engineer with a bright professional career ahead of him. Together they made a fine couple. We can only imagine what the family must be suffering. A cloud has fallen over Tiree, but the island community will come together as it always does at times like this.”

The couple had set off in their PA28 Piper Cherokee aircraft from Dundee airport for a surprise Easter weekend visit to Dr Maclean’s mother and sister in Tiree.

Emergency services received a report of a light aircraft having lost contact in the Bein Nan Lus area at around 1.50pm.

Police Scotland confirmed that following an extensive multi-agency search, the wreckage of a light aircraft was discovered on the northern aspect of the Glen Kinglass area of Argyll at around 8pm the same day.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Frew, from the SCD Major Investigations Team, said formal identification of the bodies was due to take place this week.

He said: “Our family liaison officers are working closely with both families involved and will continue to support them throughout this difficult time.

“Police Scotland would like to thank all the members of the public who called us on 101.”